Candlelight
by Copper.Shine
Summary: A night in a field haunted by black yellow-eyed imps was the night Axel, Roxas, Riku, and Sora unleashed them from their cage built one hundred and seventeen years ago. AU KH Roxas/Namine, Sora/Kairi


**Title**: Candlelight

**Rating**: T (Cursing for now. Violence will come up in the next few chapters)

**Genre**: Action/Adventure/Fantasy

**Universe**: AU Kingdom Hearts

**Characters**: Axel, Roxas, Sora, Riku, Kairi, Naminè

**Summary**: A night in a field haunted by black yellow-eyed imps was the night Axel, Roxas, Riku, and Sora unleashed them from their cage built one hundred and seventeen years ago. AU KH

**Chapter** **Playlist**: "The Journey Home" by Hunting McLeod; "Too Bad" by Nickelback; "Turn Up Your Radio" by Autograph

* * *

**Chapter One: The Field of Oblivion**

Twelve-year-old Roxas Strife tried not to cringe from his perch on the stool set up in the kitchen as he watched his mother pack the things she believed he needed for an overnight camp out. Which, by the way, might as well have been half the damn grocery store. The blond frowned at the thought of lugging all that stuff on a three and a half hour hike.

"Mom, we're not gonna starve, y'know. It's just for two nights."

She turned her head to lock her dark eyes on her son, the sunlight shining from the window giving her a near ethereal glow. For a second Roxas was reminded of those pictures he'd seen of the angels he remembered seeing in a book his twin had gotten for Christmas a few years back.

Tifa gave a bright smile before saying, "True, but you can never be too careful, sweetie. So you're taking it all, like it or not."

Nope, nevermind. Scratch that. Her angelic appearance was now outweighed by the dark demon that was evil and commanding in its own sunny way.

When she turned back around Roxas opened his mouth to say something about having to carry all that junk for three hours, but quickly snapped his trap shut. _Good going, genius. You almost blew it! _He thought, quickly reminding himself that the only people who knew about where they were really going were him, his twin, and his two best friends.

Other than that, no one was aware that they were headed to camp out at the one single location in the whole town that all four were strictly forbidden from going anywhere near unless they wanted to be grounded until they hit their grave.

Roxas opened his mouth to try again and use the excuse and lie that they were just going to be right out in Riku's backyard, though a cheery exclamation coming from the doorway of the kitchen cut him off.

"I'm ready to go!" Sora said with a million watt grin, the same bright vivid blue eyes that he, his brother, and his father all shared gleaming with excitement. Which surprised Roxas a bit as this was the same brunette that shivered anytime someone even mentioned ghosts or spooks of any sort. Either he was genuinely excited about camping out in the Field of Oblivion or he was a better actor than Roxas thought.

"Did you get your father to check and make sure you had everything?" Tifa asked as she placed a thermos of lemonade into Roxas's pack.

Sora opened his mouth to reply, though the words died out when a hand was placed on top of his brunette spikes that stuck out every which and way. He glanced up to see his father standing behind him.

"Yes, I did," was Cloud's reply, his calm blue eyes going from Roxas to Sora, quietly musing how quickly his two boys had grown up in these past twelve years. As cliché as it sounded, it really felt like yesterday that the blond man was in the hospital room crowded with doctors and nurses, Tifa's screams rattling the room before another cry joined in his mother's chorus. Roxas was silent when he was brought into the world, despite the noises that obviously distressed his brother.

Cloud's ears rang just from thinking about the memory.

He was broken out of his thoughts when his blond son murmured from his perch on the stool, "I still don't get why we're taking so much."

"Because," Tifa started before Cloud could as she walked over to him with the overflowing backpack in her arms, "there's no telling what kind of dangers you'll face, and I'm sure you won't be complaining as much when you start picking off the Slim Jims voraciously like I know you will."

With that she shoved the backpack in her twelve-year-old son's arms, and she gave a satisfied smile when Roxas didn't say anything else in protest, but gave a little pout. It deepened when Tifa ruffled the blond spikes that resembled his father's, though the action made the blonde feel good in a way.

A knock on the door caught the Strife's attention, but Sora didn't give anyone a chance to say anything as he said, "I'll get it!" and disappeared.

Roxas stood up and slung the backpack on while Tifa went back to the sink to get a start on the dishes that were piling up on the counter.

There was an excited gasp from the front door before Sora cried out cheerfully, "Kairi!" His exclamation was followed by a girl laughing happily, and the blond boy made his way past his father to the living room with his brother.

Kairi Robinson was one of the prettiest girls in town, with her fair skin and blue eyes, not to mention her cheerful demeanor similar to Sora's, but even as she embraced his brother warmly, the true source for the small smile tugging at his lips was the other girl behind her.

Her skin was paler than Kairi's and her long blonde hair was a lighter shade than his, though her eyes were a bright shade of blue that seemed to jump out from her washed-out appearance. Not only that, but he couldn't help but allow his smile to grow when he noticed the faint rosy blush staining her cheeks, unaware that he was doing the same, though on a lesser scale.

"Hey, Naminè," Roxas said warmly as Kairi and Sora started up their own conversation.

Naminè let out a shy smile of her own. "Hi, Roxas." He frowned in curiosity when the girl suddenly leaned over to look past him and in the direction of his parent's voices before whispering, "So, are you excited for the trip to the Fields?"

Roxas's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot to his hairline. "What?" he said in shock.

"The Fields, are you excited about going?" she repeated, though when she realized the source of his surprise she continued, "Oh, I know all about the trip. But don't worry, I won't tell anyone else. Neither will Kairi, Hayner, Pence, or Ollette."

"_What_?" Roxas repeated, though after realizing how stupid he was starting to sound he hissed, "_Why_ do they all know? _How_ do you guys know?" Turning to his brother who was watching the two with a worried expression he growled, "Did you tell 'em?"

Naminè giggled at his distress and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Roxas, we all know when something's up with you guys. It didn't take us long to figure out what you four were doing."

"Yea, Roxas." Sora agreed, if only to defend himself. "Remember when we planned to pull that prank on the crazy blonde lady that lived a couple blocks away? Everyone else saw it coming a mile away."

By 'everyone else,' all four children knew they were referring to the pack that had stuck together since preschool, along with other kids that lived in town that had been brought into the group. Hayner Rodgers, a thirteen year old blonde who was practically Roxas's second brother growing up; Pence Daniels, a twelve year old who didn't have a mean bone in his body and made fast friends with everyone; Ollette Rolland, the thirteen year old voice of reason in the group; Riku King, the fourteen year old silver headed boy who stuck with his friends through hell and back; and the last one to join was Axel Gauge, the fiery sixteen year old redhead and Roxas's partner in crime. Sora and Roxas trusted each and every one of them, and the same could be said for the rest.

"Oh," said the blond boy. He paused to think before saying, "I'm surprised Hayner hasn't kicked my ass up and down the street for not inviting him."

Naminè smiled. "If you ask me, I think he's glad you haven't."

Roxas chuckled. "Yea, you're probably right. He knew he'd never hear the end of it if he said no."

The blonde girl giggled at that.

"And I'm surprised you're not trying to convince me to stay." Roxas said seriously.

Naminè locked her eyes with his and reached up to brush his bangs back slightly. He didn't protest in any way at the contact. Of course, no boy in their right mind would.

"I'll admit, I'm a little worried. But you've got Sora, Riku, and Axel with you. Someone, or something, would have to be crazy to come after you with those three around. Especially Axel."

The blond boy snorted in amusement. "Yea, you're right…again."

"Naminè, we better get going." Kairi said. "My mom said we'd better be back soon for supper."

"Yea, we'd better get going, too," Sora said, glancing to his brother. Roxas's eyebrows furrowed at the box the brunette had in his arms that he didn't remember seeing before Kairi and Naminè showed up. It wasn't that big, and was covered in blue wrapping paper with strange key-shaped and heart looking designs all over it. Weird.

Nodding to the box, Roxas asked, "What'cha got there?"

"It's a surprise." Kairi answered for his twin. She gave Sora the same look Tifa gave them when she knew they were dying to do something they had to wait on, but she dared for them to. "And he's supposed to wait until tomorrow to open it. Mom told me that if you open up a present before your birthday, it's bad luck 'til the next one rolls around."

"I get it, I get it." Sora said with a grin. "I'm not gonna open it just yet." Though the excited gleam in his eyes told Roxas otherwise.

"Oh!" Naminè said as she reached into the pocket of her white skirt. She pulled out a silver chain, and hanging from it were two key shaped pendants—one silver, the other onyx, both a different design than the other.

"Happy birthday, Roxas."

The blonde girl walked up to Roxas and fastened it around his neck, then backed up just a little too quickly with a shy smile. Sora and Kairi watched with bright smiles on their faces as they watched Roxas's face lit up.

"Did…you make these?" he asked, taking both of the keys in his hands and studying the intricate designs in them. Now that he took a closer look he could tell they both had different colored materials imbedded into their surfaces, a strange tangle of colors.

Naminè nodded, her smile widening as Roxas's lips tugged into a wide grin. "I'm not sure why, but I thought you'd like them. If you don't though, I can always go back and make something—"

She was cut off when Roxas brought is arms around her and pulled her into a bear hug.

"Oh yea, he likes 'em." Sora said with a chuckle as Naminè's cheeks started to burn like the Sahara Desert as she returned the embrace.

* * *

The old man was still down when Axel Gauge starting rummaging through the apartment and shoving the stuff he'd need for the night out with his friends. He didn't bother trying to be quiet as he did so, as he knew better than anyone else that when the man had fallen into a drunken sleep, dynamite couldn't wake his ass up. The sixteen-year-old allowed his bright emerald eyes to roam anywhere across the room except on the form of the man he was sorry to call his father. Right now it was taking everything he had not to walk up to the bastard with a knife right now and shove it in his heart, breaking it as easily as the older man had broken his. But that wasn't an option. To do so, it would bring him down to a level lower than the one the man was at right now.

And eight years ago, he had already vowed no never become anything like his father.

With that reminder, Axel forced his clenched fists to relax, his long slender fingers falling limp at his side.

As the boy snatched four beer bottles out of the fridge and put them in with the rest of his stuff, a flash of red out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his gaze fully to the sight of the mirror placed on the wall of the kitchen, one of the last mirrors left in the house that his father hadn't punched at. For just a few seconds, Axel studied his appearance that everyone said held a resemblance to his mother. The cherry red hair shaped in spikes that stuck out of his head in a wild manner, the black teardrop shape tattoos on his cheeks a sharp contrast to his fair skin, his tall and lanky, yet lean physique…none of it resembled his father in any way. Instead, the fair skin and red hair were traits he and his brother had gotten from their mother, a wonderful lady who was an absolute joy to be around. In every memory Axel had left of her, in every picture he secretly hid from his father and kept under the bed in a black box and silver lock, she was smiling, her bright azure eyes reflecting nothing but happiness and every positive emotion in existence.

This wasn't the first time he wondered how the hell someone as wonderful as her wound up with someone as worthless as the snoring lump in the other room.

The snoring lump that busted his family up as much as possible; after the death of Ariel, it wasn't long before Axel's older brother took off without a word as soon as their dad started with his drinking issues. No note, no phone call, no nothing. Just up and left.

He wondered if Reno was okay. Where he was, what he was doing…

…if he ever thought about how badly his little brother missed him…

Shaking himself out of his thoughts he checked the black sports watch on his wrist and scowled. If he didn't get his ass on the move now he'd be late for the hike up to the most haunted place in town, along with the most feared location by the townspeople. It was the spot Roxas and Sora had chosen to spend their thirteenth birthday, and they had invited their two best friends to join in for the party.

Slinging the backpack over on one shoulder as he made his way to the door, he flipped his father the bird before walking out in beat up jeans and a black hoodie. After about eight steps away from the door he let a grin play across his face as he realized something.

For the next twenty-four hours or so, he was on his own, accompanied by his favorite three people in the world, his pack full of beer, Slim Jims, Little Debbie's, soda, and half of the candy stash he had hidden away in his room from Halloween a few days ago.

Things couldn't get much better.

* * *

Roxas scowled as he yanked up the thousandth blade of grass from the ground. He and Sora had been waiting for the better part of fifteen minutes for the other two to show up. And on the list of things that the blond either hated or couldn't stand, waiting was up there at the top five.

"So…d'you really think this place is haunted?" Sora suddenly asked, and Roxas quirked an eyebrow at the nervousness in his twin's voice.

"Uh, yea, that's why we're going in the first place." Glancing back down at the piece of grass he was currently shredding with his fingers he added, "Besides, it's too late to back out now."

"Yea, yea, I know." Sora replied. "It's just that…I've heard the things that live there mess people up. That they actually steal hearts."

The blond snorted. "C'mon, Sora, don't tell me you believe all that stuff."

His twin gave a little pout at his brother's blasé attitude. "I don't, but, there've been people that have come back and said that they can't feel anymore. People started calling 'em Nobodies and the little demons were called the Heartless."

The little demons Sora was referring to were the waist-high pitch black yellow-eyed bug-like demons that supposedly inhabit the Fields of Oblivion. It's been said that the bigger they are, the stronger they are.  
"Yea, well, we'll see soon enough if it's true or not, right?"

Finally the sound of bike tires rolling against dirt, grass, and rocks reached his ears, and he and Sora both glanced up simultaneously to see Riku riding up to them on his glossy black bike, and past him Roxas could spot the flaming red spikes of his best friend a little ways off in the same direction Riku was coming in.

Sora and Roxas stood up and walked over towards Riku. The fourteen year old silver headed boy nodded to the twins as he hopped off his bike and walked it over in their direction. "Hello, ladies."

Roxas was about to bite back a response before Sora answered for him in a much calmer way than his blond headed brother would've, "Hey, Riku."

"So, what did you bring?"

"Well, show me what you've got!"

While Sora and Riku talked, the blond turned in the direction his friend was walking from and grinned. Cupping his hands over his mouth he shouted, "C'mon, Axel! Put those ostrich legs to work! We wanna get there before the sun sets, y'know!"

He grinned at the thought of his redheaded friend glaring daggers at him at this point as he started to run towards them.

It took him about half a minute to finally catch up, and when he did he immediately socked Roxas in the arm, his radioactive green eyes narrowed in a glare. "My legs are not as fucking long as an ostrich's, you bastard."

"Need to take a better look at 'em, then," Roxas said casually as he rubbed the spot where his friend had clocked him.

The redhead growled and looked like he was ready to pound the blond until Riku threw an arm in between them.

"Knock it off, you two." When the silver haired boy realized they had calmed, he stepped back. "We've gotta get a move on now that everyone's here."

The sixteen year old snorted as he went ahead to start walking in the direction of the trail, not bothering to look back and notice that neither of the others had moved. "Yea, yea. Sure thing, mom."

"Uh, Axel…" Sora started somewhat nervously.

"Axel, you dipshit, the Fields are the other way!" Roxas shouted just to poke fun at the redhead. His wide grin only widened even more as Axel shot him a look and stormed back the other way.

"I knew that, jackass!"

* * *

**Author's Note**: I hate ending it here, I really do. But I hope you enjoyed it, 'cause I sure had a ball writing it, specifically Axel and Roxas's friendship (if you think I boogered it up any, let me know!). And if you don't mind would you give your opinion on what you think about the portrayal of the characters in this, please. It's kinda hard for me to get the characters right, since I haven't played any of the games they've been featured in. Anyway, like I said I hope you enjoyed this!

Oh, and on a side note, **no**, this is **not** going to be an Akuroku fic or SoraRiku. I don't have anything against the pairings and I do like them, but lately there's been too much of it for me (fandom overdose, haha!) and I decided to take a break from it for now. Which is where this and another story I'm working on, Blindsided, came from. The only pairings in this are going to be Roxas/Naminè and Sora/Kairi. Other than that, I'm going to focus more on the plot and fantasy end of it than the romance specifically. Sorry if you're disappointed by this.


End file.
